Farewell, Winslow High
by benbrattlover
Summary: As Boston Public never had a series finale, I wrote this to see what might have happened. What happens when the students & staff get the news they've been dreading? PG at first, may or may not increase, based on author's whims! PLEASE READ & REVIEW!


Author's Notes: I just want to let my readers know that this isn't the way I wrote my story, but every time I upload it, the site changes my indentation, tabs, paragraphs, line spacing, fonts, etc. I know it looks really sloppy but this is not the way I wrote it, yet I can't figure out how to get the site to return my stories to their original format, so please bear with me, and excuse me. If you have any idea how I can get the site to keep, and post the stories in the original format with the same indentations, tabs, paragraphs, line spacing, fonts, etc., please tell me. You can email me at: benbrattlover at yahoo dot com.

Please read and review. Be kind, yet please give me honest feedback. If you have a negative comment, it is okay to post it, but also include some practical suggestions on how I could make the story better. I love to write stories and poems and I want to be a good writer so I don't mind negative comments as long as they are not flames. Positive and/or helpful advice and pointers are appreciated and welcomed. Negative, AND unconstructive feedback is not, and will be deleted. Otherwise, feel free to write what you think, with the exception of flames. Thank you!

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I don't own any of the characters, except for the ones that I create. The "Boston Public" characters belong to David E. Kelley, Kerry Lenhart, John J. Sakmar, the Fox Network, W.E. Channel, TV One, any other channel where this show is in syndication, and all the other creators, writers, producers and directors of this TV show. But I've written this story, I own this story, and all the others that I write, or have written. Please do not use, copy, post elsewhere, or reproduce it in any way, shape, or form without my permission. Thanks!

Summary: Since "Boston Public" was cancelled so abruptly (even leaving 2 unaired episodes, which was shown a year later in syndication, on cable) there was NO series finale, and as such, no real closure for the fans and viewers of this show. So, thanks to the incredible and wonderful concept of fanfiction, which opens up a world of different possibilities, I've come up with one way that "Boston Public" could have ended.

Though I am now a HUGE fan of Boston Public, I didn't start watching until sometime around the last season (only after they had moved it to Friday nights) and when it was cancelled I watched the show in syndication on the WE Network. However, although I am pretty much caught up now, if I get some of the background information wrong, please do not flame me. I am trying my best to get all the characters, events, and personalities right, but if I mess up somewhere please understand and hold off on throwing the tomatoes :) ! Thanks!

Rating: PG, but may, or may not be increased to PG-13 rating, depending on author's whims:)

Contact: Any extra comments (beyond the review) questions, or concerns, Email me at: benbrattlover at yahoo dot com.

Enjoy and after you're done, please hit the pretty, and sexy, little purple button at the bottom of the page, hand leave me a review. Thank you!

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It was a sad day at Winslow High School. A very sad day.

After several years of severe budget cuts, ultimatums and threats, on this unusually cold, and snowy late March morning, the worst had finally happened. The administration just received word, from the district office, that at the end of that school year, in June, Winslow High would be shut down. Permanently. Due to an extreme budget shortage, the Board of Education had voted to close several schools, and Winslow High was among them.

The students would be scattered throughout the district – sent to different high schools all over Boston. Some of the faculty with seniority would be fortunate enough to find another position within the district, while others would be given the option of taking early retirement. However, the unlucky few, who had just recently joined the staff, or had not yet attained the coveted tenure, were going to be let go, at the end of that year.

After hanging up with the district official who had made the announcement, the Winslow High principal, Steven Harper, and Vice-Principal, Scott Guber, sat together, stunned and speechless in Steven's office. No one spoke for the longest time. The expressions on their faces and their body language said it all. Steven sat behind his desk, his elbows on its surface, holding his head in his hands. Scott sat in front of him, in a similar position, leaning over the desk, his chin in his hands. They were the picture of gloom, when the student office aide, Marcie Kendall burst into the office.

"Mr. Harper, A couple parents are calling about Mr. Lipschultz. He……….," she said, before stopping, noticing the glum looks on their faces. "Whoa! Who died?"

"Out, Marcie!" growled Steven, pointing to the exit. "NOW! And don't you be eavesdropping by the door, either!"

"Okay, okay! I'm going!" Marcie said, scowling. "Geez! You don't have to be so rude about it! By the way, what do you want me to do about the parents calling about Lipschultz who are holding on the phone for you?"

"Tell them I'll have to call them back later, take the messages, and do not disturb us again."

"Fine!" yelled Marcie, stomping out the door, slamming it behind her. After she left, Steven's office returned to total silence.

Finally after several minutes had gone by, Scott was the first one to speak. "We can't let this happen, Steven!" he said, shaking his head sadly. "We've got to fight this! This isn't fair - either to the students, or to the faculty. They are counting on us! There has got to be something, anything that we can do!"

Steven nodded. "I agree. But what? The Board of Education has voted and its made its decision! What can we do?"

"I don't know!" sighed Scott, frowning. "But I've taken care of the budget for years. Even when you gave the responsibility to Ronnie Cooke, and she went in there and started cutting and slashing everything willy-nilly, I found a way to fix things. Even though it meant cutting the athletics, and relying on the Boosters to raise the funds to keep it operational, I was able to save the faculty, and the Dungeon."

"Yeah, but Scott that's different!" Steven explained sadly. "This time, it's not just one specific cut in funding, or a single isolated financial crisis. This is a long-term budget shortage. I don't know what can be done to change that. I'm not sure anything can really fix a problem of this magnitude. Besides, the Board has already made its decision. There's nothing we can really do!"

Mr. Guber sighed loudly. "Yeah, I know. But still, I just wish………."

"I know, Scott. I know."

"I love Winslow High, Steven. I love my job!" murmured Scott, softly. "For so many years, this school has been my life. You know, until recently, I'd been pretty much a loner. But I always had my work, and then when I was least expecting it, I met Violet. I don't know what I'm going to do, when I don't have Winslow to come back to next year."

Steven nodded in agreement. "I know what you mean. I gave up so much for this school. I lost my marriage to Louanna, the chance to spend the kind of quality time with Brooke that I wanted to, while she was growing up. I missed most of her childhood because I was always here. Now, Brooke is gone, off to Harvard, and though she is still in town, the truth is, that she has already flown from the nest. It's too late. She's an adult now, with her own life. She doesn't need me anymore."

"You're still her father, Steven." Scott smiled sympathetically. "Brooke loves you and will always need her dad."

Steven grunted. "Yeah. So what are we going to do about this news? Should we let the students and staff know? Or should we wait for the official announcement?"

"We need to tell them right away, before it gets out, and starts spreading like wildfire." Scott answered honestly. "You know how fast rumors get around here. We should make the announcement before someone hears about it, and a panic gets started, like happened last time with the whole Dave Fields, and 'The List" situation."

"I agree."

Scott nodded. "I think we should have an assembly with students and teachers. But we should let the staff know beforehand, so they're not caught unaware when we make the announcement," he paused, clearing his throat before continuing. "We'll schedule a mandatory faculty meeting for today at lunch, and then we'll have the assembly during 6th period."

"Okay. We'll tell them then." Steven sighed. "I can just imagine how the teachers and students are going to take this news."

To Be Continued…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(Don't forget to review. Just select the review option and click on the purple button. Also, I couldn't think of a good title for this story, so if you have any ideas, for a better title than the one I chose, please let me know either in your review, or send me an email at: benbrattlover at yahoo dot com)


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